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Category Archives: Local Fauna

Did you know there is a breeding season for Iguanas? I did not know that. Iguanas are quite prolific here in Puerto Rico. And that’s an understatement. They’re literally everywhere.

Having visited here frequently over the past two or three years, I have seen plenty of them. When you go to old San Juan there are guys walking around with two or three of them on their shoulders, and for a small fee you can have one placed upon your body and pose for a picture. I personally would not do this.

So, for the last two or three weeks there has been a plethora of dead Iguanas along the roads and highways here. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but as the days went on and there were more and more dead bodies, I began to wonder why. And the answer is that we are in the beginning of Iguana breeding season.

You may be wondering why I care enough to make an entire post about this, so here goes. I have nothing against Iguanas. I am happy to leave them alone and watch them from a safe distance. As far as I’m concerned, they can live their little Iguana lives outside, a safe distance from me. But watching the body count rise day after day, I feel bad for them. Some get completely obliterated by whatever vehicle with which they have the unfortunate contact, while some appear fully intact; just obviously dead. There is no road crew for cleanup, so they remain subject to the sun, baking and bloating.

There is something that perplexes me though. Nearly every one of these poor creatures that is killed is quite a large specimen. I’m talking at least 12″, NOT including the tail. Now, I don’t know how quickly these guys grow, but it would seem to me that if they can stay out of the road long enough to grow that big, at what point in their maturity do they become so stupid as to play chicken with the drivers here???